#257 Gifford Howarth- Percussionist, Educator, Author, Adjudicator and More!
This episode is sponsored by Dream Cymbals, and their 24” cymbal bag.
This week’s guest is Gifford Howarth. GIff is a National Yamaha Performing Artist, a Signature Artist for the Vic Firth Company, and a clinician for the Zildjian Cymbal Company and Evans Drumheads. He has presented clinics and workshops throughout the United States, Canada, Asia, and Europe. He has presented at the Midwest Clinic in Chicago, dozens of MENC All-State Conferences, and at several PAS Day of Percussion events. The focus of most of his sessions is geared around percussion education.
Howarth is known as a mallet percussion specialist with a method book published through Tap Space Publications and a series of signature marimba mallets through the Vic Firth Company. He also has published several solo mallet arrangements.
Happy Birthday!
Happy Birthday to Ross Pederson. Ross is an explosive, sensitive, dynamic, and compelling voice on the drum set and in the studio, Ross has in the last decade emerged as an in-demand drummer and producer in Brooklyn, NY. Ross has shared the stage with renowned, diverse and prominent musicians/artists as Fred Hersch, Snarky Puppy (recorded on their first album, The Only Constant), The Manhattan Transfer, Take 6, Eddie Gomez, Kenny Werner, Patti Austin, Shayna Steele, David Cook, Chris Potter, Melissa McMillan, Grace Kelly, Emmy Rossum, Jessie James, David Binney, Lew Soloff, Nir Felder, Will Lee, Kevin Hayes, Jean-Michel Pilc, Rufus Reid, Mark Egan, Francois Moutin, Ben Wendel, John Ellis, Tim Lefevbre, Gary Versace, Oz Noy, Marc Johnson, Patricia Barber, Henry Hey, Lynne Arriale, Johannes Weidenmueller, Jon Hendricks, Madeline Eastman, Joe Martin, Taylor Eigsti, John Abercrombie, Billy Drewes, Rich Perry, Wycliffe Gordon, Gilad Hekselman, Pete McCann, Kate McGarry, Ralph LaLama, among many others. As a sideman, Ross has recorded on dozens of albums ranging from Jazz trio to Indie Rock. He is a current member of the bands of Shayna Steele, Melissa McMillan and Grace Kelly, The Manhattan Transfer, as well as a frequent member of the Kenny Werner and Fred Hersch Trios. In addition to his jazz roots Ross stays in touch with his rock, pop, and singer-songwriter roots, playing with and producing jazz, soul/R&B, folk, rock, and indie-electronic artists in Brooklyn at his home studio.
Happy Birthday to Richie Flores. Richie is one of the most in demand percussionists of today’s active music scene. Born in Brooklyn, New York, raised in Trujillo Alto, Puerto Rico, Richie was a prodigious child that began playing congas at the early age of 5. He embarked on his professional career by age 8 playing with Grupo Batacumbele and Roberto Roena and the Apollo Sound. By age 13, he traveled to New York to play with Roberto Roena at the Village Gate, making him one of the youngest musicians ever to travel with a band outside of Puerto Rico. He continued performing professionally while studying percussion at the highly regarded Escuela Libre de Musica in Hato Rey, Puerto Rico.
Richie’s musical career continued to evolve by playing with some of the most respected and celebrated artists in Music today such as Tito Puente, Eddie Palmieri, Cachao, The Fania All Stars, Gato Barbieri, Hilton Ruiz, David Sanchez, Tropijazz All Stars, Jack Bruce of Cream, McCoy Tyner and even the Beastie Boys. He has participated on many notable recordings, including the Grammy Award Winning albums “Master Sessions – Volume I,” 1995 by Cachao, Dave Samuels 2003 “The Gathering” and The Celia Cruz 2002-2003 double Grammy winner album “La negra tiene tumbao”. Grammy nominated albums “Arete” by Eddie Palmieri in 1996 and on “Palmas” in 1994, as well as David Sanchez’s Grammy nominated album “Obsession” in 1997 and many more. He played for President Clintons Inauguration in 1998 and for the UN…All the Presidents around the world in 2000.
Gig Alerts
Here’s how you can watch the Tree Lighting in NYC in person and on TV.
DCI (Drum Corps International) has announced the dates and locations for the upcoming 2022 Summer Music Games tour.
Damon has some dates coming up soon, and you can see and get more info on them on the tour date portion of his website.
Educational Spotlight
You can support your drum and percussion community on this day of global generosity with an individual donation to support our mission: The Percussive Arts Society strives to inspire, educate, and support percussionists and drummers throughout the world. By donating today, you become a part of that mission. Your donation will help PAS continue to provide unparalleled and interactive resources, as well as help others gain invaluable experience in the percussion education, performance, and research fields.
Donate for Giving Tuesday (or any other day) HERE.
Iconic Recording
The Iconic recording is Duke Ellington’s “Sugar, Rum, Cherry” from the album called ‘Three Suites’. After that, he heard the Classical Jazz Quartet play the Nutcracker Suite, specifically the “Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy”. Then he was asked to participate in the Boston Crusaders’ holiday event called Jingle Jam. He did a more Afro-Cuban version of this with Mark Small, Rich Zurkowski and Greg Blair.
The Christmas Playlist is available for your listening pleasure!
Music News
Several Broadway stars gathered in Manhattan’s Duffy Square November 28 to sing “Sunday” from Sunday in the Park With George in honor of the late composer-lyricist’s legacy. -Article
Facebook is paying musicians up to $50,000 to use its Clubhouse clone feature – Live Audio Rooms. Back in July, CEO Mark Zuckerberg promised that his company would establish a $1 billion creator fund to pay talent through 2022. Now a new report from The Information details how some of that money is being spent. Facebook is paying musicians up to $50,000 to use Live Audio Rooms.
“Facebook is offering to pay musicians and other creators $10,000 to $50,000 per session on its five-month-old live audio product, plus a fee for guests of $10,000 or more,” the report reads. Facebook reportedly wants to establish a relationship with creators to host four to six sessions that are at least a half-hour in length or more. -Article
Gifford Howarth Interview
The song leading in and out of the interview is “Cavatina - Theme from The Deer Hunter”, from the album ‘Rosewood Resonance’.
Damon met Giff in 1999 with the Cadets of Bergen County Drum and Bugle Corps.
Giff went to Ithaca for his undergrad, and studied music business.
Giff got his masters degree at Kent State and his doctorate at Michigan State.
Giff studied with Gordon Stout at Ithaca and Ted Rounds at Kent State.
Giff grew up in Horseheads, NY and attended Horseheads High School (despite what his Facebook bio says).
Giff recommends getting some sort of a business degree and taking a public speaking class.
Giff teaches at Bloomsburg University in PA. If you would like to study with him or attend the university, feel free to email him: ghowarth@bloomu.edu. He’s also at Penn State.
Giff marched in the Rochester Crusaders front ensemble.
Giff also taught the Rochester Patriots, The Syracuse Brigadiers and then the Cadets of Bergen County.
Shout-out to Neil Larrivee for opening a lot of doors for Giff.
Shout-out to Joel Tetzlaff at Yamaha.
While at Michigan State, Giff expanded internationally with the help of Anders Astrand, and Jonathan Fox.
Giff released this percussion ensemble piece through Tapspace with the help of Jim Casella.
Giff has worked with WGI since the beginning. He talks about the innovation.
Damon and Giff talk about inclusion vs. competition in music.
Giff brings up the Dave Reeves video from Star of Indiana.
Giff mentions the World Music Contest in the Netherlands that will be in 2022.
Giff uses Yamaha Instruments, Vic Firth Sticks and Mallets, Zildjian Cymbals and Remo Percussion.
You can follow Giff on Facebook.
